In the paper parts lists each part number had a reference number to a diagram. What would be really cool would be to retain the reference number and scan the diagram as a picture, then when the information is imported into a database you could have a link from the part for a particular tractor to pop up the picture. I guess the easiest way would be two additional columns with reference number and a unique picture reference. Just a thought.

Great work!Iain

It might be possible to keep the reference numbers and add diagram references but at this point I am going for a simpler approach. Might happen in vers. 2.0 though

Looks good so far - just an fyi if you are searching in excel files you can use the "CTRL" and "F" key to open a search window and input a number or word and click on "find next" or "find all" to highlight any matches. You can also search any PDF's that are done in text to find a part number or word in them as well using the "CTRL" "F" keys. One of the problem with inputting reference numbers is that some parts break downs have the same reference number referring to different parts - for example on the 192-01 1050 parts break down it has reference numbers starting at one for the transmission parts and then starts over at one for the actual parts for the main tractor in which case you would have to use some method to designate which page, parts picture or section of the tractor the reference number referred to.

Looks good so far - just an fyi if you are searching in excel files you can use the "CTRL" and "F" key to open a search window and input a number or word and click on "find next" or "find all" to highlight any matches. You can also search any PDF's that are done in text to find a part number or word in them as well using the "CTRL" "F" keys. One of the problem with inputting reference numbers is that some parts break downs have the same reference number referring to different parts - for example on the 192-01 1050 parts break down it has reference numbers starting at one for the transmission parts and then starts over at one for the actual parts for the main tractor in which case you would have to use some method to designate which page, parts picture or section of the tractor the reference number referred to.

You are right on point. The problem with duplicate reference numbers is the exact reason I have not included them. The database I am envisioning is not intended to be a replacement for having the specific parts list for the individual tractor. It is intended to identify which loose part belongs to what tractor(s).

Doug how do you plan to bust this down? Into tube frame list and a large frame list or one big one for everything bolens made in 40 years?

Jerome, I am hoping to have one big database for all the tractors. That way, if a part was used on a Power Ho or Vers-A-Matic and also used on an early tubeframe, you would be able to see that.

I am thinking about the possibility of removing commonly available, hardware store parts like bolts and nuts and plain washers from the list. To me at least, all they do is bloat the list. What do you think?

Just a suggestion - you could do each model as a separate sheet and rename the tabs at the bottom to identify the models such as in this example.

29Chev, I would do what you suggest if I were going to leave this whole thing in an Excel format. The Excel files are only the intermediate step I am using to get the data into a form that can then be imported into MS Access. (What I am trying to do would most likely be in Access as the database management software because there are free, readily available viewers that allow someone to use the file without having Access on their computer.) That way, the user does not actually see the data tables, but uses a dialog box to set the search parameters by part number. Sort of like a "Ctrl + F" on every steroid known to man. The return from the query would then give the user a list of all of the tractors that used that part.

I am thinking about the possibility of removing commonly available, hardware store parts like bolts and nuts and plain washers from the list. To me at least, all they do is bloat the list. What do you think?

I agree, Doug.

In looking at the numerical-order list which you linked to, I noticed a lot of duplicate entries (not just hardware). ....Is this something that gets resolved when it is transferred into MS Access?

Yeah, I noticed that too. The reason for some of that duplication in one list is that Bolens may have used the same part on different subassemblies. If you look at an original copy for the 1250-01 tractor, you can see that Bolens offered 4 different combinations of wheels and tires. Each subassembly used a valve stem, so you get valve stem listed 4 times.

I have been working my way through some of the parts lists that I have, or have downloaded from this forum, or have downloaded from that other tractor forum that has a Bolens Reference Library. What I have found is that copies of copies really do not work well in doing a conversion from paper to PDF to Excel, or from a PDF to Excel. There can be a blur that is introduced by serial copying, or the originator posting a poor quality PDF to the Manuals section. That blur causes the converter software to create a mish mash.

SO!! I need some help from you folks. So far, for the following tractors, what I need is either a clean paper copy from an original parts list on BRIGHT white paper or a really good clean PDF scan from an original parts list.

The tractor parts lists that I will need so far are:

1250 197-03 (if such a list exists)

1455 198-01 &-02 (this one seem to be a combined parts list)

1886-02 and -03/-04

Again, my best chance to work with these is from originals. I suppose if you have clean SHARP copies of these, they might work for me, but I can safely say that the best conversions so far have been from really good copies.

If you are doing paper copies for me, PM me for the mailing address. Otherwise you can attach a PDF to a PM for me.

I have a parts price list from 1983 and it has a column with a "Price Code" that corresponds to tractor line and attachments. That's a long way from model number, but I have found it useful from time to time. Here is the legend for the "Price Code"

The best your scanner can do, Bruce. What I do is scan a page, then either look at it on my computer, or print it out and look at it. If the print is sharp and has good contrast against the background, then I can use it. As an example of a scan that does not work, look at the 1455 Parts List in our manuals section. The first page that has a list is the one titled "Parts List for Figure 1". It is definitely readable, but the conversion software does not do well with it. The print is not sharp, and a scan of that quality does not convert properly. I could take the messy conversion and fix it with a lot of effort, or just re-type the whole list in Excel, but that sort of misses the point of doing this with the least effort.